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Sam collected his phone from the table, then picked up the coffee mug before him.
“Drinking coffee now?” I couldn’t help but comment. I hadn’t noticed the mug when he came in.
“Never.” He flipped the mug upside down to demonstrate it was empty. “I got it from Iceland. I got it for you.”
Sam walked away from his seat, stopped beside me to set the mug on the table before me, then proceeded to exit the room.
Curiosity got the best of me and I picked up the mug. Turning it around in my hands, I inspected the cartoonish scenery of snowy mountains with the printed caption reading ‘I love snow.’
Sam had brought the mug into the meeting with the intention of giving it to me. But if I hadn’t asked that coffee question, he might not have given it to me at all. Why? Probably the same reason why he gave it to me, said nothing and just left. His heart was still broken, yet he was a gentleman enough to bring me a cute gift.
“He’ll be okay.” Joe reassured me.
Yes, Sam would be okay. I had no doubt he would. His heartbreak, courtesy of me, will be healed pretty soon with the love and adoration he must be getting from his daughters.
Joe and I talked a few more details about my new venture. Not that there was much he didn’t already know.
“Are you sexting your boss’s daughter?” I caught Joe grinning and silently giggling like stupid at his phone.
“Am not. Only censored texting at the moment.” Joe finished with a wink.
“You do know you’d have to face Sam’s wrath if he finds out you’re sleeping with his girl behind his back, right?”
“I did not sleep with Stella. We’ve only met twice, in a very public coffee shop twenty blocks away from here to sneak behind his back. But I intend to face Sam head-on and demand permission to date his daughter.”
“Demand?”
“Yes, demand. I won’t be taking no for an answer. I’m willing to fire myself from this job and become Sam’s mortal enemy again as long as I get his approval.” That’s when I realized that Joe was past the point of no return. He had fallen into the deepest depth of his infatuation.
Joe received a call from the reception then. “My lunch is here. Want to join me? I got noodles.”
Oh, how much I used to hate that last sentence. Now it was so appealing. A little bit of familiarity. I craved that.
“I’m in. But first, may I grab a quick coffee? After this whole meeting, I need to dehydrate.”
“Sure, you go ahead to the kitchenette. You do remember where it is still, huh?” Joe teased.
“Of course I do, silly.”
Joe chuckled as he gathered up his stuff.
“Hey, thank you, Joe. Truly. I wouldn’t have done any of this without you.”
“Nonsense. This is all your doing. I’ve only shown you the ropes. Now go get your coffee and meet me in my office. And don’t worry about bumping into the boss coming out of my neighbouring office. He’s already halfway across town by now.”
It was so good to have Joe back in my life. Once, on a Sunday, Joe came to visit me in the city. He wasn’t the boss who had a company in crisis. Neither did he have an email that couldn’t wait until the next day. He could just enjoy a day out without any interruptions from work. I had even managed to impress him with my improving cooking skills. Then we went for a walk along the bustling streets of the city. What a contrast to a walk in town. The walk had triggered our appetite so we ordered in. Pizza. I had even convinced him to watch an action movie instead of his usual favourite thrillers. Afterwards, we went to the roof of the apartment building, sat down underneath the parapet wall, and we drank straight from the wine bottle as we recalled the past. We toasted to a friendship for a lifetime and it was a day well spent in the ultimate company of each other. The prospect of having noodles with Joe in his office had the same feel-good factor as that Sunday.
In the kitchenette, I placed my new mug in the coffee machine and hit my favourite button – French roast. Hmm, what a smell. I missed this.
On my way to Joe’s office, I steered back to the conference room first. I needed to collect my laptop bag. Though my entrance was interrupted by Sam at the door, almost crashing into him and almost spilling my steaming hot coffee.
Oh dear, I could have scalded Sam. A much, much worse repeat of spilling wine on his crotch. Instead of calling the dry cleaners, I would have had to call a doctor for him and his scorched dick.
“I thought you left.” I said.
“I forgot my jacket here.” Sam replied as he indicated to the collected garment in the crook of his arm.
Followed by the most awkward silence.
